Manufacture of phonograph records



Aug. 31, 194s.

Filed Aug. 18, 1945 F. C. HINCKLEY IANUFACTURE 0F PHONGRAPH` RECORDS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mm l/ZZ 'l, l es 'F ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 31, 1948 Frank C. Hinckley, Stratford, Conn.. auignor to f Columbia Records Inc.,

a corporation of Dela- Application August 18, 1945, Serial No. 611,393

6 Claims. 1 y.

This invention relates to the manufacture oi' phonograph records of the disk type and it refers particularly to the finishing of the edges of such records.

The principal object ofthe invention is to provide a machine for smoothing and polishing the edges of disk records rapidly and economically. It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine for finishing the edges of records of a type suitable for use with automatic record changers, such as, for example, the type disclosed in the co-pendingapplication of James H. Hunter and the present inventor, Serial No. gust 18,1945.

lThe need for finishing the edges of disk records arises from the practice of flash-molding such records whereby a certain amount of excess plastic material, supplied to the mold to insure the production of perfect margins, is extruded around the edge of the mold. This excess material, in the form of a thin web or iin. is removed by being suitable parting line is formed by the mold so that in breaking away the extruded peripheral fin a minimum amount of the excess molding material is left adhering to the record.

According to the general features of the invention a horizontal table, rotatable about a vertical broken away along a parting line formed by the V mold, leaving a rough edge which must be smoothed and polished. Thev smoothing and polishing operations are advantageouslyperformed while rotating the records at a relatively high speed, for example.' one giving a peripheral velocity of 1000 to 1500 ft. per minute.

It has been the practice, heretofore. to edge finish records one at a time while rotating the record on the spindle of a lathe or other general purpose machine. The starting and stopping of the rotating spindle, the mounting and removal of the records and the individual iinishingoperations required have made this procedure both tedious and expensive. There has also been an element of danger if the operator accidentally followed a' wrong sequence in performing the several operations. The present invention provides a spe cial purpose machine which operates on a plurality of records simultaneously and which greatly simplifies and speeds ing of therecords.

up the edging or edge-finish- The invention also provides safeguards for the operator preventing his following a wrong and possibly dangerous sequence of operations.

The machine of the invention, while not limited in its application to operation on any one type of record. will be describedherein with particular reference to the finishing of theedges ofthe improved record for use with automatic recordchangers described in the above referred to apy plication, Serial No. 611,392 This type of record has an edge whichis molded to a V-shape instead of having the conventional rounded contour. A

axis, is provided for rapidly revolving a stack of rough-edged records while finishing means are brought to bear againstV the edges of the records. A quantity of recordsyusually -of the order of forty or more. is rst stacked on an open-ended carrying spool or spindle with protecting material be# tween adjacent records and over the top of the stack, and the assembly centered on the rotatable table of the machine. By operating a foot pedal a rotatable clamp is brought to bear against the top of the stack to clamp the stack to the table. The table is then rotated rapidly, under the control of the same foot pedal while sanding, buifing and other finishing means are brought to bear against the record edges. After the finishingoperations are completed the rotative power is shut off, the table brakedto a stop and the clamp released, all by ope-ration of the one foot pedal to different positions. The stack of finished disks on the carrying spindle may then be removed from the machine.

According to the invention the several functions of the machine are automatically controlled as to the sequence in which they can be performed or as to the combinations oi functions which can be performed at one time, by interlocking means` which prevent the possibility of the operator following a wrong sequence or setting up a wrong this power and the-braking of the table being allv controlled by a foot pedal. the hands oi the operator are left free to manipulate the finishing means and to load and remove the stacks of records. This simplified control and the removal of the danger of improper control 4result in a greatly increased production per operator.

Objects and advantages of the invention other than those referred to above will be apparent upon consideration of the 4following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevational Aview of a phonograph record edge finishingl or edging machine, according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the foot lever guide and motor control switch;

" the spools with 4 at the lower end thereof for rotating the shaft by means of motor I1 and belt drive I8, Fig. l.

Shaft 36 has a section 38' of reduced diameter mountinga pair of spacing sleeves ,48, 48 Vbetween which the inner race of bearing 34 is clamped. Sleeve 48 bears against the shoulder l formed on shaft 36 by vsection'l' thereof while sleeve 48 bears against the upper face of a central hub formed on a lower circular brake plate 80 keyed to shaft 88 for rotation therewith. Surlrounding sleeve 48 and spaced therefrom is sta- .tionary sleeve 39, previously referred to, on

chine which may be located in a production line adjacent a conveyor bringing to the operator a succession of spindles or spools II stacked with unfinished disks I2, more clearly seen in Fig. 'It for insertion in the machine. The edging or edge finishing machine I0 includes a frame I3 of built-up construction having sufficient rigidity to withstand and to reduce vibration due to dynamic unbalance of a rotating record stack, a lower spindle assembly I4 adapted to support and to rotate a spool II with a stack of disks I2 thereon, an -upper spindle assembly I5 adjustable vertically for the purpose of clamping the record stack to the lower spindle assembly, finishing devices to engage the edges of disks I2 such as builing mechanism I8 and appropriate control means. Power for rotating the lower spindle assembly is provided by a motor I'I through a belt drive I8. A

Referring now to Fig. 7. there is shown one of unnished disks I2 stacked thereon. Spool II has a base and a vertical pin 2|, the lower end of which is pressed into a flanged sleeve 22 mounted in the base. The hole 23 in base 20 into which pin 2I is pressed has a lower portion not occupied by the pin which serves as a recess to receive a centering pin on the table of the lower spindle assembly, to be described in connection with that assembly.

Unfinished disks I2, each having a central aperture slightly larger than pin 2|, are stacked upon base 20 and centered thereon by the pin. Adjacent disks are spaced by paper spacers v24 to prevent scratching of the faces of the disks carrying the sound grooves and over the top disk there is disposed a cover plate 25. Approximately forty disks'may be loaded on one size of spool which has been used with the edging machine of the invention.

,In the machine, lower spindle assembly I4 for rotating spools II comprises a housing 3| bolted to frame I3 having a bore in which are retained a pair of annular ball bearings 33, 34. Fig. 5, and a thrust bearing 35 seated against a shoulder 35'. providing anti-friction bearing means for the lower spindle assembly shaft 86. A pair of felt grease-retaining washers 31, 81' is provided to keep sand and record dust out of the bearings. the former in a cap 38 and the latter in a flanged sleeve 39, respectively closing the upper and the lower end of the bore in housing 3|. The b'earings themselves may be of the sealed type.

Shaft 36 at its upper end has a tapered portion 4| on which is coaxially mounted a circular table 42 secured to the shaft by a round key 48. Table 42 carries a pad 44 of frictional material adapted to engage the base of spool II which is centered on the table by means of av pin 45 secured to and extending axially from shaft 86. pin 45 being adapted to enter the central recess 23 in the spool base 4previously referred to. A grooved driving pulley 46 is secured to shaft 38 which an upper circular brake plate 52 is slidably mounted for limited axial displacement to apply and release the brake. Rotation of plate 82 about sleeve 38 is prevented by a vertical keyway 53 thereinadapted to receive a key 54 mounted on and extending from the sleeve. A threaded collar or nut 56. with lock washer, engages a threaded portion of shaft 36 toclamp plate 50, and the members retained on the shaft thereby, against axial displacement. Brake plates 58, 52 have facings of friction material 50', 52. respectively, which come into mutual engagement upon downward displacement of plate 52 to provide a braking action tending to stop rotation of shaft 36 and table 42.

Upper spindle assembly I5, shown in detail in Fig. 6, comprises a housing 6I supported from the frame of the machine and having a bore, coaxial with that in lower spindle assembly housing 3|, within which is slidably mounted a sleeve 62 restrained against rot-ation by diametf rlcally opposite splines engaging corresponding keyways 84 in housing 8|. Within sleeve 62 are retained annular ball bearings 85, 66 and thrust bearing 81 providing anti-friction bearing means for shaft 86. Ring 10, threaded into sleeve 52 serves as an axial adjustment for bearing 66 and also carries a grease-saturated felt washer 1I preventing dirt and dust from entering the bearings at the lower end of shaft 88. A clamping nut I2 with lock washer bears against a spacer 'I8 to clamp the inner race of bearing 86 against a shoulder 14 on shaft 68. At the upper end of shaft 68 a nut 'I4' and spacer clamp the inner race of bearing 68 against a corresponding shoulder on the shaft. A helical groove 15 in the outer surface of sleeve 62 is provided for lubrication purposes.

At its lower end shaft 68 has a tapered portion 'I6 on which a spherical member 'I'I is mounted and retained by a screw 18. A record clamping plate 8| has a recess 82 with a spherical bottom portion tting over member 'I'I. Pins 83 mounted on and extending from spherical member I'I register with openings 84 in the side wall of the socket which provide clearance around the pins to permit plate 8I to adjust itself to the plane of the upper face of top cover plate 25 of a stack of `records. The head of screw 18 has an axial recess 85 adapted to receive the top end portion of the pin 2i' of a record carrying spool.

At the upper end thereof s leeve 62 is threaded internally to receive an externally threaded end portion of a hollow spring-retaining housing 81 surrounding a compression spring 88. Housing 81 is closed at its upper end =by a cap 89 having a central hole serving as a guide for a plunger 38 bearing against spring 88. A pilot projection 9| on plunger 90 maintains one end of spring 88 centered within spring retainer 81. The opposite end of spring 88 bears against a web 82 of memma'y remain without auaoso The interlocking mechanisms for actuating upper spindle assembly I5 to clamp a stack oi records, for controlling the rotative power and for applying the brake will next be described. Operating foot pedal orlever is pivoted to frame I3 at I0| and extends through a plate |02 having a notched opening |03 therein, Fig. 2. The lever is upwardly urged by spring means to be referred to later. Opening |03 in plate |02 serves as a guide for the lever and provides stops determining two positions in which thelever pressure from the foot of the operator. These positions are, a right-handr position in which edge |04 of guide |03 serves as an upper stop. or latch for the lever, and an upper left-hand position in which edge |05 serves as the stop.l A third operating position o! lever |00 is defined by engagement of the lower surface of the lever with edge |06 of guide |03 at the left-hand portion thereof, due to pressure of the operators foot. Engagement of the lever with the lower edge |01 of the notched righthand .portion of guide |03 is of no distinctive operative significance, the vertical length of the notch being greater than the vertical dimension of the lever merely to provide clearance for entrance of the lever into the notch. There is sufcient play at pivot IOI to permit the lever to be displaced laterally within guide |03.

A switch |08 positioned adjacent lever |00 for operation thereby is adapted to control the starting and stopping of motor I1 by suitable circuit means, such as means |09, including a source of voltage ||0. Switch |08 has an opere ating arm III pivoted on the switch casing at ||2 and normally urged by a spring |I.3 toward a vposition in which the switch is open-circuited, with power not being supplied to motor I1, this position of the arm being defined by a stop ||4.l

Arm III carries at the operating end thereof a roller follower I I5 adapted for engagement with lever |00, to operate switch |08 to a closed circuit condition and vapply power to motor I1 causing rotation thereof when lever |00 is within the notched right-hand portion of guide |03, adjacent or in engagement with the right-hand edge thereof.

Pivoted'to lever |00 to I|6 is a vertically operating rod |l1, with terminal clevises ||8, IIS providing threaded adjustment of the effective length thereof, extending to the upper portion of the machine where it is pivotally connected at |20 to a rocker arm |2I fixedly mounted on and adapted to rotate, to a limited extent, a transverse shaft |22 journaled in bracket |23 attached to and extending from frame I3. A spring |25 exerts tension between a rearwardly extending portion of arm |2| and an extension |26 of frame I3 to exert an upwardly directed force on rod II1 and foot lever |00. A second arm |20 mounted on and rotated by shaft |22 has an end portion thereof bearing against the rounded upper end of plunger 90, while a bifurcated member |29 attached to and dependent from arm |28 engages the lower surface of a pin |3| fixedly secured in and extending Abeyond plunger 90 at opposite sides thereof. By engagement of the described members, arm |20 is adapted both to displace plunger 90 downwardly against the compressive force pf spring 00 and to follow and assist upward movement of the plunger under the influence of springs 0I and |25, respectively, without appreciable lost motion. A stop for plunger 90 in its upward travel is provided by an internal shoulder |33 on cap Il, Fig. 6, against which a dange |34 on plunger 6I is adapted to bear.

The brake mechanism comprising lower brake plate 50 and upper brake plate I2 is arranged to be operated by the same foot lever |00l that operates upper spindle assembly I5 record stack. To this end lever |00 has an angle bracket |39 attached thereto. at a location intermediate pivots IOI and I I6, having a hole through which a threaded end of tie rod |40 extends with an adjusting nut |4I and locknut |42 forming an adjustable abutment against 'the lower face of the substantially horizontal leg of the bracket.

On the upper end of rod |46 is threaded a second angle bracket |43 pivotally connected to an arm |45 mounted on transverse shaft |45, journaled on frame I3 for rotating said shaft. Shaft |45 mounts a second arm or lever |41 rotating therewith. having at the forward end thereof a yoke |40 formed by inwardly projecting portions which engage a peripherally-grooved lportion |50 of a hub on upper brake plate 52. A spring I'5I exten-ding between the opposite and rearwardly extending endY |41 of arm |41 and a projection |52 from frame I3 normally exerts a force tending to keep brake plates 50, 52 separated.

-The spacing of the brake platesy in the unoperated condition of the brake is very slight, as determined by the relative locations of plate 50 and flanged sleeve 39 on which plate 52 slides, the ange on sleeve serving as a stop to upward travel of plate 52. The location in the downward travel of lever |00 at which the brake iacings 50', 52' are engaged is adjustable by means of nuts |4|, |42, the adjustment being such that engagement does not occur until the portion of the lower edge o! lever |00 operating in guide |03 in plate |02 is below the lower edge |01 of the notched right-hand portion of the guide.

Referring now to the bufiing mechanism shown in detail in Fig. 4. a bracket |60 extending laterally from frame I3 supports a pedestal ISI on which an arm |62 is mounted for limited rotation about the axis of a vertical countershaft |63 lournaled on the pedestal. A vertical shaft |64 carrying a wire bufiing brush |65 rotates in ball bearings mounted in arm |62 adjacent the outer extremity thereof.

A motor |61 lmounted on frame I3 drives brush |65 by means of belt drive |00 to countershaft 4|63 and belt drive |60 between shafts |63 and |54. Brush |65 may be swung about the axis of shaft |63', with arm- |62, for engagement with a stack of unfinished record disks I2, by means of a handle |10 attached to the arm.

In operation, a stack of unfinished disks I2 mounted on a carrying spool or spindle |I and. having a protective cover plate 25 over the top of the stack is placed in the machine and positioned along the axis of rotation of table 42 by the entrance of locating pin 45.into recess 23 in the base of the spool. Foot lever |00 which has, during this operation, been positioned against upper edge or stop |55 of guide |03 in plate |02 is now depressed by pressureof the operator's foot to displace downwardly the upper spindle assembly to clamp the operations foot lever |00 'fis tion inwhichthe lupper surface of the portion thereof operating in guide |03' is in alignment with or slightly below edge |04 of. the guide, causes plunger 90 to compress spring 88 -and transmit pressure to the stack of disks, to clamp the stack securely to table 42. lAdjustment of the clamping pressure may be made of the effective length of rod H1, by varying the threaded engagement of clevis or clevises H0, I I8' therewith. The interposition of spring 80 between foot lever and the stack of disks causes an adiustablepredetermined pressure to be applied tothe stack which is-substantially the same regardless of minor variations in the thickness of the stack.

After actuation of the releasable rotatable clamp constituted by upper spindleI assembly i5, lever |00 is swung laterally to the right and latched under edge |04 ofvguide |03. Lateral displacement of lever |00 from left to right at the specified height c auses the lever to engage roller il! and operate pivoted arm III to close switch |08, normallyspring-biased to an open-circuit condition. The closing of switch |08 starts motor and puts into rotation table 42 with the stack of disks i2 thereon. While the disks are rotating the operator applies a sandpaper pad or other abrading means to the edges of the stack disks to remove the fragments of the peripheral molding fins left adhering to the disks, the major portions of the iinshaving been broken away before' the disks were stacked on the carrying spool.

Itis to benoted that duto their stacked arrangement, when v-edged disks are operated upon bythe 4sandpaper pad, which preferably. but not necessarily.- has a fiat surface adapted to extend over the edges of a number of or all of the disks, only the apex of the- V is aiiected by the abradingpoperation, which is only carried far enough to produce'a slight flat at this apex. This 'is entirely unlike the individual nishing, Particularly of round-edge records, that has been customary heretofore, wherein a maior portion of the edge of the record is abraded in the iinishin-g operation Without'specific control of the abrasion produced, resulting in unlike edge contours as between different disks-and a varying diameter of the disks.

The advantages of the machine of the" invention, however, are not confined to its use with V-edge records nor is the abrasive-carrying member limited to a at operating surface where some other form of surface Ais desirable.

After sanding; the edges of the disks are buffed by wire bufilng brush 65,- which is swung against the stack by means of handle |10. 'A further polishing operation in which wax is applied to the disk edges by means of a hand brush, may followthe builing. 'To dispose of the dust and debris incident to the finishing operations, an exhaust pipe having a flared mouth partially surrounding the rotating disks and connected to exhausting means, not shown, is provided.

Upon the completion o'f-the above described unlatched from against stop |04 by being swung laterally to the left thereby permitting switch |08 to return to its normal open-circuit condition and remove the power from motor i1. The leveris then further depressed, preferably to engagement with the lower edge |06 of guide |03, to apply the brake formed by co-operating brake plates 50, 52 of the lower spindle assembly. Engagement of the frictional facings of the pair of brake plates rapidly brings shaft I8. with table 42 and the stack of Aby adjustment.

disks thereon. to a stop. By removing the downward pressure of his foot on lever |00 and allowing the lever to spring upward to engagement with stop |00 the operator causes upper spindle assembly l5 to move upwardly under the influence of spring H3, exerted by way of arms ||2 ancligsl, and remove the clamp from the stack of dis summarizing the operating conditions imposed I lower spindle assembly is actuated and an intermediate position at the left of the guide in which the clamp alone is actuated. No rotative power is 4applied to the lower spindle assembly shaft in either of the foregoing positions. In another position, in which the lever is in the right-hand notched portion o1' the guide. the clamp alone is applied to the lowformer condition preventing possible damage to the records or personal injury due to the rotation of an unclamped stack of records and the latter condition preventing damage to the brake facings and motor.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein and shown in the drawings, lt will be understood that this is by way of illustration, the inventio being limited only by the appended claims.

' claim:

1. In a disk edging machine a rotatable table. a

removable arbor for means for said motor operable by when said clamp is engaged.

2. In a phonograph record edging machine the combination of point for unequal simultaneous vertical displacement thereby, record clamping means operated by said one member, brake means operated by said other member and switch means operated by said lever upon horizontal displacement thereof.

3. An edging machine for simultaneously iinishing a plurality of phonograph record 'disks comprising a rotatable table, a removable spindle able to a first position to actuate said clamp into engagement and thereupon to start said motor, operable to asecond position to retain said clamp engaged and to stop lthe motor and to apply said brake, and operable to a third position to release both said clamp -and brake with the table at rest.

4. An edging machine for simultaneously finishing a plurality of phonograph record disks comprising a rotatable table having a supporting surface, a removable spool for mounting a plurality of record disks as a unit in coaxial stacked relation on said supporting surface of the table. said spool including a base adapted to rest upon said supporting surface of the table and to suD- port thereon a stack of record disks and a pin extending from said base and adapted to pass through the central apertures of the record disks. s aid spool base and said table having cooperating means to center said spool and a stack of record disks carried thereby on said table, a rotatable clamp adapted to engage and to clamp said stack of record disks to said table for simul- -taneous rotation thereon, clamp-engagement actuating means, anda driving motor for rotating said table.

5. An edging machine for simultaneously finishing a plurality of comprising a rotatable table having a supporting surface and a centering pin extending therefrom along the axis of rotation of the table, a removable spool for mounting a plurality of record disks in coaxial stacked relation on said supporting surface of the table and pin, said spool including a base adapted to rest upon said supporting surface of the table and to support thereon a stack of record disks and'a pin extending from said base and adapted to pass through the central apertures or the record disks, said spool base having a recess to receive table whereby said spool and a stack of record disks carried thereby may be centered on said table, a rotatable clamp adapted to engage and clamp said stack of record disks to said table for simultaneous rotation thereon, said rotatable clamp having an opening to receive the distal end of the spool pin, clamp-engagement actuating melans, and a driving motor for rotating said ta le.

6. An edging machine for simultaneously finishing a plurality of phonograph comprising a rotatable table vhaving a supporting the pin of the rotatable A record disks,

disks carrie'd thereby 10 surface, a removable spool for mounting a plura unit in coaxial stacked relation on said supporting surface of the table, said spool including a base adapted to rest upon said supporting surface of the table and to support thereon a` stack of record disks and a pin extending from said base and adapted to pass through the central apertures of the record disks, said spool base and said table having cooperating means to center said spool and a stack of record on said table. a translatable clamping plate spaced from and rotatable coaxially with said table, a displaceable, non-rotating operating member andresiliently coupled intermediate means between said member and said clamping plate for displacing the operating member to move the clamping plate into engagement with said stack `of record disks and resiliently clamp the stack between said plate and said table,

phonograph record disks said clamping plate having a self-aligning bearing to adapt the clamping surface thereof to variations in the plane of the top surface of said stack, and a driving motor for said table.

- FRANK C. HINCKLEY.

REFERENCES CITED ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Eckstein Feb. 4, 1913 Lingo July 25, 1916 Stougaard Feb. 2, 1932 Harrison et al Sept. 13, 1932 Number March Nov. 1, 1932 Leonard Aug. 13, 1935 Wood July 11, 1939 Harrold Feb. 25, A1941 Decker et al Aug. 26, 1941 Peets July 25, 1944 Chambers Jan. 2, 1945 Miller May 1, 1945 King Aug. 14, 1945 Mentzer Aug. 14, 1945 Dunlap Oct. 4, 1932v 

